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The site where bad ads go to die. Best Ad Critic In The World™. I obsessively cover advertising creativity past, present, and future. Also, a copywriter/creative director with 30+ years experience. Yes, I've won lots of awards. Who gives a fuck.

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It Was Better Ten Years Ago (#2).

If you strain your neck, you can look back and catch a glimpse of actual creativity.

Copyranter

Sep 15, 2023

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Ten-fifteen years ago, America had a smart, competent President. The 2013-14 Montreal Canadiens won two playoff series, including a wonderful 7-gamer over the powerful hated Bruins. My Father was alive. My brain and penis both worked better.

And, advertising creativity was in much better shape. As evidenced by the below FIVE campaigns by the same agency for the same product. A much-beloved product (not by me, to be clear).

These ads will make you think. Make you smile. Make you like advertising, again. Inventive photography. Hilarious illustrations. Smart copywriting. The likes of which we have not seen since.

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All of these creative campaigns for Scrabble were via various offices of Ogilvy, 10-15 years ago. Are some of them scam ads? Probably. I don’t fucking care. At the time, Ogilvy did have the account, worldwide.

HUNGARY

I love this bizarre-ass campaign. Ad agency: Ogilvy, Hungary.

INDIA

The Goldfish-Eats-Shark execution is ace. Ad agency: Ogilvy, Mumbai, India.

THAILAND

OK, these are more than 15 years old. But: Excellent product-hero campaign. And it could’ve run forever. Production cost—near nothing. Ad agency: Ogilvy, Singapore.

HUNGARY

Mug-Gum, Rat-Art (heh), Dog-God. Ad agency: Ogilvy, Hungary.

COSTA RICA

For you, word nerds. Ad agency: Ogilvy, San José.